Apparatus for the reforming of yarn package carriers made of plastic material

ABSTRACT

The axially deformed yarn package carriers are heated up to a temperature in which they become plastically deformable, and are subsequently stretched axially until they re-assume their original length. The thus reformed yarn package carriers are thereafter cooled. An apparatus is provided for automatically performing the above process.

Eite Etates ateiit [1 1 Erotti 11 [451 Sept, 17, ram

[ APPARATUS EUR THE REEOHNG 01F YARN PAEKAGE CARIRTERS MADE OF PLASTIIIC MATEEHAL [76] Inventor: Renato Crotti, 47, SS. Romana Sud,

Carpi, Modena, Italy 41012 [22] Filed: June 23, 11972 [21] Appl. No.: 265,629

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 25,1971 ltaly 12771/71 [52] US. Cl 425/384, 425/392, 425/394 [51] llnt. El. B29c 17/02 58] Field of Search 425/66, 383, 384, 392, 425/445, 455, DIG. 48, DIG. 53, 397 394; 264/289 [56] lReierenees Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Vaughan 264/289 X 3,131,425 5/1964 Jacobs 1. 425/384 X 3,571,846 3/1971 Tomlinson t t t 425/66 X 3,664,783 5/1972 Murray 425/455 X 3,676,539 7/1972 Fisher 264/289 X Primary Examiner-J. Spencer Overholser Assistant Examiner-David B. Smith Attorney, Agent, or FirmRichard Wiener [5 7 ABSTRACT The axially deformed yarn package carriers are heated up to a temperature in which they become plastically deformable, and are subsequently stretched axially until they re-assume their original length. The thus reformed yarn package carriers are thereafter cooled, An apparatus is provided for automatically performing the above process.

6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR THE REFORMING OF YARN PACKAGE CARRIERS DE OF PLASTIC MATERIAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the yarn package carriers made of plastic material, which can be resiliently compressed axially, on which the yarn packages to be sub jected to finishing treatments, as for example to dyeing, are wound.

The main advantage of the use of axially compressible yarn package carriers resides in the fact that it is possible to insert a number of yarn packages onto the conventional yarn package posts of for instance a dyeing apparatus, greater than would be possible if noncompressible carriers were used.

However, because of the temperature which is developed in the course of almost all of the yarn treating operations, by the time the said yarn package carriers are taken out of the yarn treating plants, these carriers are deformed into an axially compressed condition, wherefore they cannot be used again. This obviously involves not only higher expenses, but also a considerable accumulation of waste material.

SUMMARY The present invention has for its object to obviate to the above and other drawbacks of the prior art, by providing an apparatus and a method for reforming the plastic yarn package carriers of the above kind.

Advantageously, the said apparatus is compact and easy to operate, and may therefore be used in the same factory in which the yarn packages are treated, so as to continuously reform the yarn packages which are requested, e.g., for the dyeing operation.

According to the invention, the said apparatus comprises a first conveyor, means on said conveyor for clamping one end of the yarn package carriers to be reformed, a second conveyor having at least one length running parallel to said first conveyor, means on said second conveyor for clamping the opposite end of said yarn package carriers, means for heating the yarn package carriers clamped between said first and second conveyors clamping means to a temperature at which said carriers may be plastically deformed, means for exerting an axial traction upon the heated carriers clamped between said first and second conveyors clamping means, so as to axially extend same to their original length, and means for cooling the thus reformed yarn package carriers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is an elevational view of a yarn package carrier of the type to which the present invention refers.

FIG. 2 is a corresponding view of the yarn package carrier of FIG. I, in the deformed condition assumed after one yarn treatment operation.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic side-elevational view of the apparatus for the reforming of the yarn package carriers according to the invention.

FIG. I is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a part-sectioned view of a yarn package carrier clamping device.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 5.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show the same device as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 in two different steps: of the yarn package clamping operation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE YARN PACKAGE CARRIERS TO WHICH THE INVENTION REFERS Referring to FIG. I of the drawings, I is a yarn package carrier according to the present invention. The said yarn package carrier I is made of plastic material and comprises a plurality of rings 2 co-axial about a longitudinal axis of the carrier, and spaced apart along the longitudinal axis of the carrier. Adiaicent rings are connected by a plurality of flexible webs 3 secured thereto and extending generally parallel to the cylindrical sur face defined by said rings 2.

FIG. 2 shows the carrier of FIG. I in the axially compressed condition which it assumes after it has been heated during the yarn dyeing (or other yarn hot treatment) operation, where it was axially compressed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION With reference to the FIGS. 3 to 8, the apparatus for reforming the yarn package carriers from the condition shown in FIG. 2 again to the condition shown in FIG. I will now be described.

This apparatus comprises a first conveyor A formed by a plurality of plates 5 hingedly connected with one another and carrying each one yarn package carrier clamping device, or mandrel 6. The said first conveyor is guided around two end drums 7 and 8, means being provided for positively driving said drums. A second conveyor 9, formed by a chain of plates I0 identical to plates 5 of the first conveyor 4, is guided around the end drums II and I2. The plates III of the conveyor 9 are also providedwith mandrels 6. The two conveyors A and 9 lie in parallel and superposed relation and are staggered in longitudinal direction so as to provide at the drum 7 an uncovered length of conveyor A for the loading of the yarn package carriers I to be reformed,

and at drum I2 a cantilevered section of conveyor 9 for the discharge by gravity of the reformed carriers I. Between these two sections of the two conveyors 4i and 9, which will be referred hereinafter the yarn package carriers loading and discharge stations, the two conveyors and 9 are driven through a heating station which comprises the electric heating elements I3 and the fans IA, and through an adjoining cooling station which comprises the cooling fan I5.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings, one of the yarn package carriers clamping and holding mandrels 6 will be now described.

As shown, each mandrel 6 comprises an outer sleeve I6 having at one end a flanged portion I7 for securing the mandrel 6 to its bearing plate 5 (or I0) of the endless conveyor 4 (or 9). The sleeve I6 is further provided at its flanged end with an annular projection I8 extending radially inwardly in the cylindrical bore of the sleeve I7. In the inside of the sleeve 16 a second sleeve I9 whose outer diameter corresponds to the inside diameter of the annular projection 18 is axially slidably mounted. A plate 20 is secured around the end of the sleeve I9 projecting beyond flange I7. A cylindrical sleeve 21, having an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the bore in sleeve 16, is secured onto the opposite end of said sleeve 19. A helical compression spring 22 is disposed inside of sleeve 16 around of sleeve 19 and bears with one end against the end of sleeve 21 projecting into sleeve 16, and with its other end against the annular projection 18.

From the lower end of sleeve 21 two axles 23 extends radially outwardly in diametrically opposite directions. On the said axles the wheels 24 are rotatably secured. Inside of sleeve 19 21 a stem 25 is axially slidably mounted. To the lower end of the said stem 25 a wheel 26 is rotatably secured, while the opposite end of the said stem 25 is shaped in the form of an axially extended cam-like portion 27. A helical spring 28 abutting at one end against a radially outwardly projecting part of the stem 25, and at the opposite end against a stepped portion in sleeve 19, constantly urges the said stem downwardly.

A ring-like member 29 is secured to the upper surface of plate 20. The said ring 29 has an inner diameter which is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the carriers 1. A plurality of annular sectors 30 are disposed on plate 20 concentrically to ring 29, and are arranged so as to be radially shiftable from an innermost position in which they define together a diameter lesser than the inner diameter of the yarn package carrier 1, to an outermost position in which they define a diameter greater than the inner diameter of said carrier. The radial shifting of the said sectors 30 is controlled by pins 31 which are mounted radially slidable within radial bores drilled in the portion of sleeve 19 extending beyond the plane of plate 20. The said pins 31 cooperate atone end with the cam portion 27 of stem 25, and at their other end with the sectors 30. Springs 32 are provided for constantly urging the said sectors 30 toward the center.

The described device is completed by a conical end piece 33, secured to the upper end of spindle 19, above the sectors 30.

Each mandrel 6 is mounted on a plate (or 10, in the case of conveyor 9) forming one element of the conveyor 4. The said plates 5 are each provided, as shown in FIG. 6, at one end with a projecting central extension 105, and at the opposite end with two lateral extensions 205, the said extensions 205 being spaced apart a distance corresponding to the width of extension 105. The extensions 105 and 205 are provided with a transverse through bore. In assembling the conveyor 4 (or 9), extension 105 of one plate 5 is inserted between extensions 205 of the subsequent plate 5, and these two plate members are hingedly connected together by an axle 305 which is inserted into the aligned through bores of extensions 105 and 205. Axles 305 are provided at both ends with wheels 405 rotatably secured thereto and guided in slide guides 505.

OPERATION OF THE DESCRIBED MANDREL The operation of the yarn package carriers holding mandrel will now be described with reference to FIGS.

motes radial movement of pins 31, which are constantly urged by spring-32, and results in the shifting of sectors 30 toward the center.

In this manner the annular groove formed between sectors 30 and ring 29 is widened sufficiently to permit the insertion in said groove of one end of the yarn package carriers. By releasing pressure on stem 25, sectors 30 are again pulled outwardly by action of cam 27, to ward ring 29.

The above described operations of mandrels 6 are controlled by the cam shaped guide members 34 and 35, acting upon wheels 24 and 26.

OPERATION OF THE APPARATUS The operation of the apparatus will now be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

With the conveyors 4 and 9 continuously rotating at the same speed, whenever one mandrel 6 of the conveyor 4 has reached the upper run of the endless conveyor 4, in the region of drum 7, it comes under the control of cams 34 and 35 of the cam length A of FIG. 3. Cam 34 causes the lifting of plate 20, and cam 35 causes radial retraction of sectors 30. In this manner a yarn package carrier to be reformed may be inserted onto mandrel 6, and clamped thereon.

The mandrel, together with the carrier to be reformed, is then moved toward heating station 13, where the following operations take place: The mandrel 6 of conveyor 4 enters the region of the cam length B. The cam 34 of said cam length promotes a lifting of the mandrel 6 and the yarn package carrier 1 being secured thereto, from the plane of the conveyor 4. Simultaneously, a mandrel 6 carried by the lower run of the upper conveyor 9 is brought into axial alignment with the mandrel 6 of conveyor 4 in the region of drum 1 l. The cam 34 of cam length C promotes the lowering of plate 20 of upper mandrel 6 against the upper end of carrier 1 previously clamped on lower mandrel 6. Simultaneously cam 35 causes the opening of the clamping sectors of upper mandrel 6, so that carrier 1 will be firmly clamped at its ends between the two mandrels 6 of the lower and upper conveyors 4 and 9. In this condition, the carrier 1 enters the heating station 13. In this station carrier 1 is heated up to a temperature in which it may be plastically deformed. At the end of heating station 13, the heated carrier 1 is subjected to axial stretching controlled by cams 34 of the cam lengths B and C. The stretched carrier 1 is then cooled by cooling fan 15, and at the end of this cooling station carrier 1 is released from mandrel 6 of the conveyor 4 by the action of the cam 35 of cam section B. The thus reformed carrier 1, suspended at one end from the mandrel 6 of the upper conveyor 9, is transferred to the carrier discharge station in the region of drum 12. In this region, cam 35 of cam length D causes the opening movement of sectors 30, so that the reformed carrier 1 is dropped by gravity into a suitable container (not shown).

I claim:

1. Apparatus for the reforming of an axially compressible yarn package carrier made of plastic material and used in the treatment of yarns, said yarn carrier being constructed as a tubular section comprising a plurality of coaxial spaced-apart rings connected by a plurality of webs, said yarn carrier being deformed into axially compressed condition after the yarn treatment operation, said apparatus comprising means for clamping and holding at both ends the yarn package carrier to be reformed, means for heating the thus clamped carrier, means for axially drawing apart the said yarn package carrier and clamping means, so as to stretch the carrier held thereby to a predetermined length, and means for cooling the thus stretched carrier.

2. Apparatus for the reforming of an axially compressible yarn package carrier made of plastic material and used in the treatment of yarns, said yarn carrier being constructed as a tubular section comprising a plurality of coaxial spaced-apart rings connected by a plurality of webs, said yarn carrier being deformed into axially compressed condition after the yarn treatment operation, said apparatus comprising a first conveyor, means on said conveyor for clamping one end of the yarn package carrier to be reformed, a second conveyor having at least one length running parallel to said first conveyor, means on said second conveyor for clamping the opposite end of said yarn package carrier, means for heating the said carrier clamped between said clamping means on said first and second conveyors to a temperature at which said carrier may be plastically deformed, means for exerting axial traction on the heated carrier clamped between said first and second conveyor clamping means, so as to extend same axially to its original length, and means for cooling the thus reformed yarn package carrier.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, in which the said first and second conveyors are in the form of endless conveyors, the said conveyors being positively driven at the same speed through the said yarn package heating and cooling means.

4!. An apparatus according to claim 2, in which the said means for clamping the ends of the said yarn package carrier comprises a first tubular outer sleeve, a sec ond tubular sleeve axially slidable within said first sleeve, the said second sleeve being provided at one end with clamping means for clamping one end of said yarn package carrier, and means for controlling the said clamping means.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 in which the said means for clamping the ends of the said yarn package carrier comprises a base plate, an annular abutment member on said base plate of an inner diameter substantially corresponding to the outer diameter of the said yarn package carrier, clamping means on said base plate radially shiftable toward and away from said abutment member, for clamping the carrier end, and means for controlling the movement of the said radially shiftable clamping means.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4, in which the said yarn package carrier clamping means and said means for exerting an axial traction on the carriers clamped between said clamping means are controlled by cam-like tracks. 

1. Apparatus for the reforming of an axially compressible yarn package carrier made of plastic material and used in the treatment of yarns, said yarn carrier being constructed as a tubular section comprising a plurality of coaxial spaced-apart rings connected by a plurality of webs, said yarn carrier being deformed into axially compressed condition after the yarn treatment operation, said apparatus comprising means for clamping and holding at both ends the yarn package carrier to be reformed, means for heating the thus clamped carrier, means for axially drawing apart the said yarn package carrier and clamping means, so as to stretch the carrier held thereby to a predetermined length, and means for cooling the thus stretched carrier.
 2. Apparatus for the reforming of an axially compressible yarn package carrier made of plastic material and used in the treatment of yarns, said yarn carrier being constructed as a tubular section comprising a plurality of coaxial spaced-apart rings connected by a plurality of webs, said yarn carrier being deformed into axially compressed condition after the yarn treatment operation, said apparatus comprising a first conveyor, means on said conveyor for clamping one end of the yarn package carrier to be reformed, a second conveyor having at least one length running parallel to said first conveyor, means on said second conveyor for clamping the opposite end of said yarn package carrier, means for heating the said carrier clamped between said clamping means on said first and second conveyors to a temperature at which said carrier may be plastically deformed, means for exerting axial traction on the heated carrier clamped between said first and second conveyor clamping means, so as to extend same axially to its original length, and means for cooling the thus reformed yarn package carrier.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, in which the said first and second conveyors are in the form of endless conveyors, the said conveyors being positively driven at the same speed through the said yarn package heating and cooling means.
 4. An apparatus according to claim 2, in which the said means for clamping the ends of the said yarn package carrier comprises a first tubular outer sleeve, a second tubular sleeve axially slidable within said first sleeve, the said second sleeve being provided at one end with clamping means for clamping one end of said yarn package carrier, and means for controlling the said clamping means.
 5. An apparatus according to claim 4 in which the said means for clamping the ends of the said yarn package carrier comprises a base plate, an annular abutment member on said base plate of an inner diameter substantially corresponding to the outer diameter of the said yarn package carrier, clamping means on said base plate radially shiftable toward and away from said abutment member, for clamping the carrier end, and means for controlling the movement of the said radially shiftable clamping means.
 6. An apparatus according to claim 4, in which the said yarn package carrier clamping means and said means for exerting an axial traction on the carriers clamped between said clamping means are controlled by cam-like tracks. 